Semiconductor laser array with nonplanar diffraction region

Claim 1

A semiconductor laser array, comprising: a plurality of semiconductor laser diodes arrayed laterally in a single structure and having parallel waveguides; means for guiding light laterally in the parallel waveguides; means for connecting the laser diodes to a power supply; a wide diffraction region formed adjacent to and in the same structure as the waveguides, such that the means for guiding light laterally in the waveguides terminates at the wide diffraction region, and light from the parallel waveguides is coupled into the diffraction region; and a pair of at least partially reflective surfaces formed at opposite ends of the structure, including a planar surface at the end opposite the diffraction region, and a curved surface at the end of the diffraction region, the curved surface being selected to achieve a desired degree of coupling among the waveguide elements, and to enhance and stabilize a preferred lateral mode of oscillation.